Grocer s canister



(No Model.)

W. SMITH & G. H; DILL.

GROGERS GANISTER.

No. 416,042. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE. 7

WILLIAM SMITH AND oHA'RLEs n. nILnoF FDANVILLE, INDIANA.

GROCERS CANISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,042, dated November 2e,1ese.

Application filed August 12, 1889 Serial No. 320,452. (No model.) i

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, \VILLIAM SMITH and CHARLES H. DILL, citizens of the United States, residing at Danville, in the county of Hendricks and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grocers Canisters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to cans or canisters for crackers or similar articles; and it consists in the improved construction and arrangement or combination of parts hereinafter fully disclosed in the description, drawings, and claims.

Theobjects of our invention are to provide means in a can or canister for crackers, coffee, or other similar articles for maintaining the surface of the contents of the same at one level, to provide such a can or canister with a vertically-movable bottom, to provide means for raising and lowering said bottom, to provide means for adjusting and holding the bottom at any point in the can or canister, and to provide means for guiding said movable bottom. Thcse objects are attained in the can or canister illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which the same referencenumerals indicate the same parts, and in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of our im proved can or canister; Fig. 2, a vertical section; Fig. 3, a vertical section on .the line 7 y, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a horizontal section on the line 2 .e', Fig. Fig. 5 shows partial plan views of the under side of the can-body and the bottom, showing the guide-boxes which fit over the inner-wall flanges of the can-body.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the can, which is illustrated as cylindrical, although it may be of any other suitable or desirable form. Said can is'preferably mounted upon casters 2, and has a hinged inclined lid 3 in its partly-closed top at. The bottom 5 slides vertically in the can and has a flange 6 upon its edge, which flange maintains said bottom in a horizontal position, and prevents it from being tilted and consequently jammed or caught in the can when it is raised or lowered.

Two pairs of vertical guide-flanges 7 are secured at diametrically-opposite points to the inner sides of the can, and the edge of the movable bottom has two pairs of notches 8, which fit over said flanges. Boxes 9 are formed in the flange 6 of the bottom to fit over said guide-flanges and to slide upon the same.

A shaft 10 is journaled in the sides of the can, near the upper edge of the same, and has two cords 11 winding upon it. The lower ends of said cords are secured to eyes 12 upon the upper side of the bottom, and said cords pass over guidepulleys 13 above the upper ends of the guide-flanges, so that the cords will pass down between the flanges to the eyes which are arranged between the guidenotches. One end 14 of said shaft 10 is polygonal to receive akey 15, by means of which the shaft may be revolved to Wind the cords upon it and raise the bottom. A ratchetwheel 16 is secured upon the shaft, and is engaged by a pawl 17, which is pivoted upon the side of the can, so that the shaft may be stopped from revolving in one direction and may sustain the bottom at any desired height.

A spout 18 may be secured over a square or rectangular hole 19 in the front of the can, at the upper edge of the same, and may serve to pour out the contents of the can whenever it is not desirable to dispense the contents of the can from the top of the same.

It is obvious that the contents of the can may always be kept at a level with the top of the same by raising the movable bot tom as the contents are consumed or sold, so that they may always be easily accessible through the open lid and the can may always have the appearance of. being filled. The bottom may be held at any point to which it may be raised by means of the ratchet-wheel and pawl, and it may be lowered by releasing the pawl from the ratchet-wheel and allowing it to sink by its own weight and the weight of the articles resting upon it.

The can or canister may be made of any desired or convenient size. It may be of a small size for use upon a shelf or counter or of a large size to stand upon the floor.

\Ve claim as our improvement- 1. The combination of a can or canister, two pairs of vertical guide-flanges upon the inner sides of the same, and a bottom sliding within the can or canister, having two pairs of notches in its edge fitting upon said. guide flanges and having a downwardly-projecting flange upon its edge, and the guide-boxes projecting downward from said bottom and inclosing the said notches, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a can orcanister, two pairs of vertical guide-flanges 7 upon the inner sides of the same, the bottom 5, having the notches 8, and the flange 6, having the boxes 9 formed in its periphery, the eyes 12 upon said bottom and between said notches,

the shaft 10, journaled in the upper end of I having the ratchet-wheel 16, the cords 11, se-

cured to the eyes and to the shaft, the guidepulleys 13 at the upper ends of the guideflanges, and the pawl 17, engaging said ratchet-wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SMITH. CHARLES H. DILL. Witnesses:

CHAS. D. Pouuns, JO N M. Tow Es. 

